Sorting Through Feelings Via Fandoms
by AnHeiressofaSOLDIER
Summary: Upon coming back from their first two adventures, Sora, Riku, and Kairi become famous when the Island learns of it all. For this reason, a photographer wants Sora and Kairi to have a photo shoot together at his house-to which they agree-but through it all Kairi feels some of her repressed emotions coming to the surface. In feeling much empathy, she tells her worst secret. Random.


**Sorting Through Feelings Via Fandoms**

Red hair fell into Kairi's eyes, as she tried to sit up from where she'd been slumping on the couch, and maneuver herself so that her back was resting against Sora's own.

Currently, the two teens were modeling for a picture that was meant to be in a fashion magazine, or some such thing.

And so, the two with the mutual crushes on each other sat on Sora's pretty couch-with the psychedelic colors-and...

The both of them wore wide smiles on their faces-acting like two soul mates featured on a cover of a book might've-as photographs snapped away at them.

And actually, it served to remind Kairi a little of what it must have been like for Sora to sit on the bottom of the Interceptor-tied up together with his friends-and waiting for the ship to blow up at any moment.

Of course, this right now was a much happier occasion than that one had undoubtedly been, but this moment right here was still crazy, Kairi thought.

"This whole thing is crazy," Kairi ended up saying dryly out loud. She then leaned forward the slightest bit, so that she could itch her back against Sora's like they were on some silly sitcom, or something.

And as it happened, that particular comment of hers actually got a chuckle out of the Keyblade wielder. Kairi grinned, but pushed forward with her point even so. "No, seriously, Sor; I mean it. The way these artists are snap, snap, snapping away at me reminds me of... Well, to be quite frank, it reminds me of Harry Potter-when the Ministry is _finally_ making a big deal about all the truths he said about Voldermort, like they should have been from the beginning, and meanwhile... Harry just feels completely resigned, y'know? Because he doesn't want to support people who would apprehend and hold Stan Shunpike, just to use him as a Scapegoat."

...Just what the heck was she thinking, in relating such geeky things like this to Sora?! Kairi wondered of herself suddenly-her face growing as red as a berry, as she was forced to realize that maybe she hadn't gotten over her own obsessive tendencies like she'd thought she had.

And Sora, bless the boy, didn't end up telling Kairi she should face reality instead of fantasy, or anything like that.

Instead, he laughed slightly the slightest bit and smirked. But mostly he just reached for the small table in front of him, Kairi noticed, and grabbed hold of a mandarin orange to pop into his mouth.

Then, and only then, did he shrug-much to the annoyance of the few people who were still trying to capture this moment between them-and mutter, "I never actually never read the books, Kairi. But I think I remember you tellin' me that when we watched one of the movies together. But now that you bring this all up, I kinda gotta ask: who do you like better? Me, or Harry Potter?"

It didn't escape the Princess of Heart's notice that Sora had used a fake falsetto to say his last few words; it was almost like he was referencing when a lot of the characters called Harry "Mr. Potter", in fact.

But moving on from that... just how the heck was she supposed to answer this?! All ready, Kairi could feel herself beginning to sweat, as she began throwing furtive glances in Sora's direction, just wondering what he was aiming for with all of this.

Because Sora, unlike Harry, was very much real. And though Kairi had doubted a few things about him in the past, he had more than proven himself to be worthy of protecting Kingdom Hearts.

Heck, he had even _sacrificed_ himself for her, and Kairi remembered-feeling eternally grateful-but...

She also couldn't deny the fact that she'd had a huge crush on Harry Potter for a number of years. It helped that the world that Jo Rowling had created had so many political problems in it, and Kairi had always valued the choices that Harry had made then, even while under such duress.

Harry could spot corruption like a beacon, and so Kairi thought that was definitely something the fictional character had over her beloved Sora.

But Sora... he was so much _better_ than Harry in some ways, and saw the good in everyone and tried to help them: even Maleficent.

As a Princess of Heart, that was something about Sora that Kairi greatly valued, and so she had to give her friend her simple and honest answer, right?

Of course she did. After everything that Sora had gone through with such difficulty and courage-and who knew? Maybe more would even happen with him in the future-Kairi knew that she'd choose for him again and again and in any lifetime.

She loved her dear Sora, after all, and thus was the reason their hearts were connected.

"You, you silly lazy bum," Kairi explained, as she turned her head to the side and pressed her nose into his back-all the better to hide her flushed face for, though once again the photographer didn't like it, and was nearly throwing something at her. "You have the heart of a lion, Sora. And one that would eclipse even a Gryffindor any day, I think."

And then... then Kairi began sobbing of all things, as she once again remembered how her hero had become a Heartless for her-and at this point, the artist must have given up on the idea of making either her or Sora celebrities, for he stormed off angrily, with Sora glaring at him for the unsatisfactory things he was saying about Kairi's emotions all the while-and she found herself _begging_ him to never do anything reckless like that again.

Sora didn't respond at first. Instead, he helped get Kairi to her feet-something she was thankful for, for she was tired of posing-got her a drink of water to help calm her down (skirting around the Venus Flytrap he owned, as he did so; Kairi wasn't exactly sure why he had that, but it once again proved that he was a friend to all living things), and then wrapped both of his arms around her shoulders from behind-trying his best to comfort her, it seemed.

Kairi leaned into him of her own accord, and tried to change the subject. "Now that that picture taker's gone, we should try and invite Riku over. Really, he could have come over here to begin with-despite what the paparazzi wanted-but I guess he's still insecure about Ansem sometimes, huh?"

And apparently today was just a day where all of her bottled up emotions came out to bite her, Kairi noticed, for now she found herself beginning to get misty-eyed for Riku's own plight.

Kairi could almost imagine Sora's eyes disappearing into his hairline behind her, as he worried about her.

In fact, in apparently seeing her change of subject being a no-go, Sora tried to once again return their conversation to the Harry Potter one (Kairi was half amused now; how funny it was that someone who didn't know the fandom like her would end up mentioning it so much in one day?), by saying, "So... about the Harry Potter comparison we were having earlier?"

And if Kairi had expected Sora to agree with her in choosing him over the wizard, or to maybe even chastise her for that choice, then she would have been sorely disappointed.

Instead, acting much like the Sora she knew and loved-and _oh so_ cherished-he put his hands behind his head, before explaining, "Uhh, Kai? I get what you're saying, and I really do 'ppreciate it, but... can we maybe go somewhere else and talk about something completely new now? It's my fault that you're like this right now, 'cause I was being weird in asking you the book question, I know, but..."

And to that, there was only one way Kairi could respond to the boy.

Drying her tears with her hand-and somewhat reluctantly extracting herself from Sora's hold-Kairi told Sora the last important truth she'd learned in comparing the two boys, and promised herself she'd be done after it. "Sora... you know what I realized the other day? That... that in lots of ways, Harry Potter's s'pposed to be a representation of Jesus Christ. Dumbledore, actually, is meant to be John the Baptist.

"But anyway... Sora, you're like Harry in that you're a Jesus archetype."

And suddenly, Kairi found that she was very excited-throwing up her hands in glee, even, as she thought about it.

Sora, on the other hand, just seemed confused.

"I mean, think about it, Sora. You've selflessly helped so many people, and have befriended tons, too. You're like... the good version of what Xehanort could've been, if things had been different."

...And just like that, Kairi realized that what she had mentioned might've been a mistake: that, contrary to what she'd meant with her words, it would only bring on sadness, as Sora thought about the fickle Xehanort.

But fortunately, Sora only seemed to be focusing on the kindness that Kairi had meant with it.

Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, but while standing beside her this time, the Keyblade master grinned from ear-to-ear.

And then, surprising Kairi even further, Sora ended up kissing her on the cheek, nearly whispering his next words against her skin as he did so. "Kairi... that has got to be the sweetest thing I've ever heard. Thank you _so_ much; you're just too awesome! I don't know if I'm that good or that powerful, but now I kinda want to try to be, in order to help people, y'know?

"But, yeah, anyway... I don't know about you, but I wanna get outta here now... Otherwise, I feel like that plant's gonna eat me."

And now it was Kairi's turn to laugh, and to wrap her arms around Sora's waist, as the two of them once again leaned into each other, and began walking towards the beach.

...

But once they got there, a thought struck Kairi. And as it happened, she had to work hard to not look negatively at Sora for it, as the two of them began hanging out on the residential Island-a little too close to one of the volcanoes for Kairi's tastes.

"Sor, I have a weird question for you," Kairi started, placing her arms behind her back: something she often did when she felt unsure about something. "Did you... did you happen to come anywhere near the Island on your last journey, but... but chose not to stop here, like Riku did?"

"Wait... Riku did what?" Sora asked—inclining his head towards Kairi, while putting down the dream catcher he'd just picked up from a vendor.

Kairi's breath hitched in her throat, and she took a seat on one of the sandy slopes nearby-Sora helping her as she did so.

Honestly, Kairi didn't know why she was suddenly so introspective today, but the memory of how Riku had been looking out for her-but still attempting to ostracize himself from her-had the Princess feeling melancholy again.

But maybe in thinking that she was more concerned about her own hurt feelings than Riku's, Sora knelt down beside Kairi, took her hand in his own, and seemed thoughtful-as if he was trying to award her some kind of answer.

And once again, Kairi was reminded of how Sora had the heart like a lion: a heart she never wanted to part with in the slightest, if she could help it.

"Don't get me wrong, Kai: y'know I love Riku to death. And yeah, I know he thinks about things a lot differently than we do, but...if he really did that, that was just lame. I mean, if I'd been anywhere _near_ you, I definitely would've dropped by to say 'hi'... Honestly, that whole bit where Riku thought we'd be better off without him was just so very wrong; that idiot, I tell you what."

And just like that, Kairi was laughing uproariously-her hands draped over her mouth as she tried to hold back some of her mirth; she hadn't- she hadn't laughed this way in ages. And now that she was, it was all thanks to Sora!

Apparently the fact that she was giggling, instead of still "being mad at Riku" had tipped Sora off, though. Because coming to sit down beside her now, Sora scratched the back of his head nervously, as he muttered, "Aaaaaand now I realize you weren't acting like Hermione being mad at Ron after all. Instead, you were just feeling empathy for him? Oops."

It was only when Sora leaned back in the sand some himself to relax-one eye peeked open, as one of his hands, that he was using to hold himself up, found hers-that Kairi felt what could have only been described as another dream catcher in his hand.

Wait, so had Sora had two before? And was he- was he hinting that he'd just bought this for her, as he now tried to close her fingers around it? Or-

And ever being the lazy bum, Sora just nodded his head to hint that it was hers. And so Kairi gleefully took it out of Sora's hand, inspected it some, and pocketed it. She was preparing to thank him immensely for the gift, but a sort of admission found its way out instead.

Maybe... maybe she was somewhat being awful lately...

"Sora... I did something... bad, kinda." So bad to her, in fact, that she started playing with Sora's fingers to try and distract herself from the guilt.

Though Sora didn't exactly seem adverse to what she was doing, she still could tell that he was listening to her intently now... even if he was somewhat feigning sleep, so as to maybe not here it.

"Umm," she started again, stammering-and in her nervousness, she ground her teeth sliding into her lip, as if trying to use the blood there as a reason to not continue, but yet she did. "A- a few days ago, I found a message in a bottle-a bit like the one I sent you that ended up opening the Door to Light, remember?-anyway, it was from the King, and I- I swear I totally forgot about it until this moment, Sora, but it still doesn't make it right. But he- but he wants you to go to Master Yen Sid's soon, I think. Actually, it was a follow-up to the last message you got, about the people connected to you. I just thought... I just thought you should know."

Leaning her head down, feeling solemn-for what kind of heroine was she for having done this? Clearly the magazine people had gotten her wrong, and she was... she was nothing like her beloved Hermione-Kairi didn't at first notice that Sora had fished another item out of his pocket.

But when she did notice it, she could only gasp in shock, and almost fall over into the turf just in front of them. Was that- was that an identical letter to the one she'd just described?!

Before Kairi could really get a good luck at it, she found that Sora was, merrily, clutching it to his chest-almost as if the very words of it were making his heart sing, but he also almost seemed... sad somehow.

Like how he had in telling her he needed to eventually leave to find the King's missing friends.

"About that, Kairi..." Sora stated, now giving the redhead his own letter so that she could inspect it; as she did, she felt massive confusion settling in, and even began fearing that maybe this was all just a dream. Maybe.

"I actually found that message-the _real_ message- a long time ago. And even though I know I hafta go-and really... I _want_ to go-part of me does wish I could just stay here with you, doing dumb stuff like we were this afternoon.

"I also wish you could come with me, but you don't think you're ready for that, do you?" And at the downhearted and wistful look she was now sporting on her face, Sora must have found his answer.

Bowing his head slightly-so that it could be closer to her own, it appeared-Sora took Kairi's hand, and began telling her the rest of the secret. "So I... I made a copy of the real letter, put it on the Play Islands' shore so you could find it. That way, me and Riku could only leave when you felt ready for it, Kairi. Not before. The- the real sinner here is me, so maybe I'm not as much like Harry as you thought. But if- but if it succeeded in making you happy, even just the slightest bit, than I'm okay with that."

Kairi, of course, instantly wanted to correct Sora, and to tell him that he was better than he thought.

She had examples she could use from the books to show her favorite spiky-haired brunet just how great he still was in her book-how nice-but she instead somehow ended up pouncing on him instead.

She landed atop Sora so that her chest was on his own-all the while being careful to keep her weight from crushing him-and she kissed the dumfounded boy in a way that she'd only ever dreamed of before.

As they kissed-their lips melding together in perfect synchronicity-Sora placed his hands on Kairi's shoulders, and she put hers around his waist-just like they had hugged each other at The World That Never Was.

And then the two of them began to move together-so that they were both kneeling on the sandy ground, but still caught up in their embrace-and Kairi couldn't help thinking just how amazing Sora was for having noticed the subtle nuances about her that no one else did: that she was always _so_ depressed when they left, and that giving her some choice in the matter would make her heart beat again just a bit easier.

When they both broke away for air once, Kairi noted Sora looked towards the Secret Place, perhaps-maybe unable to believe what was happening between the both of them-before he smiled at her cheekily, grinned, and moved in for kiss number to.

He missed the slightest bit, and the two's noses brushed ever so slightly, but Kairi didn't mind in the slightest: she found that she loved giving Sora an Eskimo kiss just as much as she did locking lips with him normally.

The pair continued to hold onto and to love each other, and it seemed to Kairi that maybe both of them were healing every bit as much as Harry did in the epilogue of his story.

They wouldn't be completely fixed yet, for there was still other stuff to come, but Kairi knew that someday soon they would be.

In the future, after all, the slight scar she'd just gotten from Sora's nose brushing hers didn't hurt even a little bit.

All was well.

 **Author's Note: This story... is a bit weird, I know. But seeing as how my grandma was dying when I wrote this:( ...hopefully that can be somewhat excused.**

 **So, originally the middle part of this was different. But I think I might have lost that on my broken laptop, so I had to rewrite it again. So if that section's unbelievably strange, that's why. Though personally I think I prefer it the way it is now, because it's less angsty than before?**

 **Anywho, this was mainly inspired by three things: 1.) Tetsuya Nomura said a long time ago that Destiny Islands is a simple, rural place. And while I usually roll with that in my stories, for once I decided to try a more modern setting for fun. And thus we have photographers, the Harry Potter fandom, Christianity references, etc. 2.) I always have the characters protecting the world order in my stories, and thus never telling anyone about their adventures, but here I decided to do the opposite: everyone on DI know about what Sora, Riku, and Kairi did and are even treating SRK as celebrities because of it. 3.) An idea presented on Tumblr that maybe Kairi didn't show Sora and Riku the letter right away.**

 **Anyway, Happy Kairi Week, everyone! Be sure to make things for the event, okay?**

 **And despite how dumb some of this is, there are parts I do like about it... Even when I was so not in my right mind when penning it:(**

 **Edit: This is also the first time I've written romance in a long, LONG time-as I mostly prefer asexual and platonic relationships now-but it felt nice. Hopefully the kiss didn't disappoint and stuff.**


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